Model Railroader – September 2019

SPECIAL ISSUE

Railroading after dark • LED lighting on a backdrop p. 43

• • Lighting for visibilityPrepping for night operations p. 38
  and safetyp. 46

Improve an N scale 2-6-0 How to replace problem turnouts p. 34 (^) p. 24
Steam-to-diesel in the Upper Midwest p. 28
Modular construction:
A modern-daynarrow gauge steam yard p. 52
LIGHT YOUR LOCOMOTIVES USING DCC p. 60
http://www.ModelRailroader.comSeptember 2019
Tested: Waltherslow-nose GP9 p. 62
PLUS
MODE
L^ RAIL
ROADI
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MODE
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NG^ IS^ F
UN!
MODE
L^ RAIL
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NG^ IS^ F
UN!
MODE
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NG^ IS^ F
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MODE
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NG^ IS^ F
UN!
MODE
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NG^ IS^ F
UN!
MODE
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NG^ IS^ F
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MODE
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NG^ IS^ F
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MODE
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NG^ IS^ F
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MODE
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NG^ IS^ F
UN!
MODE
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NG^ IS^ F
UN!
MODE
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NG^ IS^ F
UN!
MODE
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NG^ IS^ F
UN!
MODE
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NG^ IS^ F
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NG^ IS^ F
UN!
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NG^ IS^ F
UN!
MODE
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NG^ IS^ F
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MODE
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MODE
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MODE
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MODE
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Dave Abeles conducts nighttime operatingsessions on his
layout. See page 46.Onondaga Cutoff
Next issue
In October, Bernard
Kempinski writes about
the high tech behind his
Civil War-era layout. Plus,
plans for a UP station in
L.A., how to populate a
passenger car, and more!
Model Railroader (USPS 529-810, ISSN
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SEPTEMBER 2019
Volume 86, Number 9
On the cover: Working lights
on your locomotives are just
the start of readying your
layout for night operations.
Dave Abeles photo
In every issue
6 Model Railroader Video Plus MRVP
Check out the latest videos
8 From the Editor
We’ve never been afraid of the dark
10 News & Products
Hobby industry news
20 Ask MR MRVP
When did BNSF start patching out diesels?
22 N Scale Insight
Disassembling N scale diesels
24 Step by Step
Replacing dead turnouts
60 DCC Corner
Light up the night with DCC

• Online bonus ModelRailroader.com

62 Product Reviews MREXTRA

WalthersMainline chop-nose EMD GP9 in

HO, Rapido HO Santa Fe RDCs, and more

70 On Operation

Authority and protection

72 Trackside Photos

• Online bonus ModelRailroader.com

81 Index of Advertisers

and Cartoon

82 Trains of Thought

Little things can mean a lot

Features

28 Chasing trains on the Blueberry

Line

The HO scale Rice Lake, Dallas &

Menomonie Ry. models transition-era

scenes in the upper Midwest

by Bob Wundrock

• Online bonus ModelRailroader.com

34 Upgrading an N scale steam

locomotive

Converting Model Power’s N scale 2-6-

Mogul into an 0-6-0 switcher that looks as

good as it runs

by Lance Mindheim

• Online bonus ModelRailroader.com

38 Nighttime operations on the

Virginia & Western

How to set up a model railroad for the

third trick

by Douglas Kirkpatrick

43 How to illuminate low-relief

buildings

Light-emitting-diode backlight modules

are a quick and economical solution

by Mike Hardwick

46 Running on the dark side

Room and layout lighting considerations

for nighttime operations

by Dave Abeles

• Online bonus ModelRailroader.com

52 Chama Yard in Switzerland

A modeler from Europe builds a modular

version of the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic RR’s

yard in HOn

by Roland Kink

58 Making a socket for a signal

bridge

This simple system makes it easy to take

the bridge out of the way

by Pelle Søeborg

• Online bonus ModelRailroader.com

MREXTRA

http://www.ModelRailroader.com

subscriber extra

Video on

http://www.MRVideoPlus.com

MRVP

In This Issue

62

34

43

24

52

38

60

28

46

RAILROADING AFTER DARK

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